A Two-Week Birthday Celebration

Susan's birthday was two weekends ago. It was on a Sunday, but her birthday festivities started two days earlier and continued through tonight!

Fridays are usually date nights for us, and a frequent spot for us to eat on a Friday is El Sombrero, a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Dickinson. When we arrived on the Friday before Susan's birthday, she asked for a table for two--but one of the brothers who run the place saw me and directed us to a table set for eight instead. I had called him earlier to make a reservation, and I surprised Susan by inviting some of our couples friends from church to join us for an early birthday celebration.

On Susan's actual birthday, her dad and his girlfriend, JoAnn, joined us at noon for a birthday meal at Butterhorn in downtown Bismarck. Butterhorn has great brunch items--and of course we had to start with some hot butterhorns topped with butter, raspberry jam, and vanilla icing (health food). In the afternoon we enjoyed a family video call with our daughters. In the evening, I made Susan a birthday supper of sautéed scallops, cavatappi alfredo, and Caesar salad. (It was just too frigid outside to venture out for another restaurant meal.)

Tonight we combined our date night with another (belated) birthday gathering. We met Susan's "lunch bunch" (a group of her coworkers with whom she eats lunch each day and who socialize with us and their spouses outside of work) at Los Cabos, another Mexican restaurant in Dickinson. The ladies in this group always exchange birthday and Christmas gifts, so Susan got to open presents; and the servers gathered to lead the other guests in singing "Happy Birthday" to her!

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

I had a bouquet delivered to Susan at work on the Friday before her birthday. Our daughters had flowers delivered to her at work that day, too!

JoAnn and Roger with Susan and me at Butterhorn.

Susan and I had mimosas with our meal.

For Susan's birthday cake, I got her a variety of "bundtinis" from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

The servers at Los Cabos had Susan wear this sombrero while they led the restaurant in singing to her--and then they gave her a birthday dessert!

Sweets and Tunes

Our church is raising funds to update its organ with digital components that will improve its sound, capabilities, and longevity.  The fundraising is going quite well, actually, probably because the committee in charge has been using a variety of approaches to soliciting funds.  Their latest: a night of "Sweets and Tunes," an event held in one of the church's gathering halls this evening.  Organizers had decorated the room with strings of white lights and set the tables with lace tablecloths, fancy centerpieces, and candles.  There was a small stage set up in the middle of the room for the entertainment, which included . . . Susan and me!

Lutheran Luck and Laughter

Susan and I had a fun night out tonight.  A while ago, Susan got an invitation via Facebook to a birthday get-together for a woman who goes to our church.  I'm not this woman's Facebook friend, so I didn't get that invitation and declined Susan's offer to crash the party, but I encouraged her to attend.  Well, the woman later followed up with Susan to clarify that I was invited, too, so we decided to go.  And we're so glad that we did!